37
1 The
LORD’s hand was
on me, and
he brought me
out in the
LORD’s Spirit, and
set me down
in the middle
of the valley;
and it was
full of bones.
2 He
caused me to
pass by them
all around; and
behold, there were
very many in
the open valley,
and behold, they
were very dry.
3 He said
to me, “Son
of man, can these
bones live?”
I answered, “Lord
GOD, you know.”
4 Again he
said to me, “Prophesy
over these bones,
and tell them, ‘You
dry bones, hear
the LORD’s word.
5 The
Lord GOD says
to these bones: “Behold, I will cause
breath to enter into
you, and you
will live.
6 I
will lay sinews
on you, and
will bring up
flesh on you,
and cover you
with skin, and
put breath in
you, and you
will live. Then
you will know
that I am
the LORD.” ’ ”
7 So
I prophesied as
I was commanded.
As I prophesied,
there was a
noise, and behold,
there was an
earthquake. Then
the bones came
together, bone to
its bone.
8 I
saw, and, behold,
there were sinews
on them, and
flesh came up,
and skin covered
them above; but
there was no
breath in them.
9 Then
he said to me, “Prophesy
to the wind,
prophesy, son of
man, and tell the
wind, ‘The Lord
GOD says: “Come
from the four
winds, breath, and
breathe on these
slain, that they
may live.” ’ ”
10 So
I prophesied as
he commanded me,
and the breath
came into them,
and they lived,
and stood up
on their feet,
an exceedingly
great army.
11 Then
he said to me, “Son
of man, these
bones are the
whole house of
Israel. Behold,
they say, ‘Our
bones are dried
up, and our
hope is lost. We
are completely cut
off.’
12 Therefore
prophesy, and tell
them, ‘The Lord
GOD says: “Behold,
I will open
your graves, and
cause you to
come up out
of your graves,
my people; and
I will bring
you into the land
of Israel.
13 You
will know that
I am the
LORD, when I
have opened your
graves and caused
you to come
up out of
your graves, my
people.
14 I
will put my
Spirit in you,
and you will
live. Then I
will place you
in your own land;
and you will
know that I,
the LORD, have
spoken it and
performed it,”
says the LORD.’ ”
15 The
LORD’s word came
again to me,
saying,
16 “You,
son of man,
take one stick
and write on
it, ‘For Judah,
and for the
children of Israel
his companions.’
Then take another
stick, and write
on it, ‘For
Joseph, the stick
of Ephraim, and
for all the
house of Israel
his companions.’
17 Then
join them
for yourself to
one another into
one stick, that
they may become
one in your
hand.
18 “When
the children of
your people speak
to you, saying, ‘Won’t
you show us
what you mean by
these?’
19 tell
them, ‘The Lord
GOD says: “Behold,
I will take
the stick of
Joseph, which is
in the hand
of Ephraim, and
the tribes of
Israel his
companions; and I
will put them
with it, with
the stick of
Judah, and make
them one stick,
and they will
be one in
my hand.
20 The
sticks on which
you write will
be in your
hand before their
eyes.” ’
21 Say
to them, ‘The
Lord GOD says: “Behold, I will take
the children of
Israel from among
the nations where
they have gone,
and will gather
them on every
side, and bring
them into their own
land.
22 I
will make them
one nation in
the land, on the
mountains of
Israel. One king
will be king
to them all.
They will no
longer be two
nations. They won’t
be divided into
two kingdoms any
more at all.
23 They won’t
defile themselves
any more with
their idols, nor
with their
detestable things,
nor with any
of their
transgressions; but
I will save
them out of
all their dwelling
places in which
they have sinned,
and will cleanse
them. So they
will be my
people, and I
will be their
God.
24 “ ‘ “My
servant David will
be king over
them. They all
will have one
shepherd. They
will also walk
in my ordinances
and observe my
statutes, and do
them.
25 They
will dwell in
the land that I
have given to
Jacob my servant,
in which
your fathers lived.
They will dwell
therein, they, and
their children,
and their
children’s children,
forever. David my
servant will be
their prince
forever.
26 Moreover
I will make
a covenant of
peace with them.
It will be
an everlasting
covenant with them.
I will place
them, multiply
them, and will
set my sanctuary
among them forever
more.
27 My tent
also will be
with them. I
will be their God,
and they will
be my people.
28 The
nations will know
that I am
the LORD who
sanctifies Israel,
when my sanctuary
is among them
forever more.” ’ ”